Name: Pili nut (Canarium ovatum) — a triangular, brown-shelled nut with a creamy, soft, buttery kernel, from a tall tropical tree. It is sometimes called the Philippine nut or Java almond (a name used for related Canarium nuts).
Description
The pili tree is native to the Philippines and nearby parts of Southeast Asia, and the nut is especially associated with the Bicol region of the Philippines, which produces most of the world's supply. The tree also yields a fragrant resin, called elemi, and the fruit's purple-black pulp is edible when cooked. The nuts are rare and expensive outside the region.
The kernel is soft, rich and slightly sweet, with a texture that is more buttery than crunchy, and a flavour somewhere between a pine nut and an almond. It is eaten roasted, in Filipino sweets and desserts such as pili tarts and brittle, and in baking and ice cream.
Main nutrition value
Pili nuts are very high in fat, mostly healthy monounsaturated fat, and are low in carbohydrate, with magnesium, manganese, copper and some protein.
How best to be consumed
Pili nuts are best roasted, and eaten in small amounts.
- Eat a small handful of roasted, unsalted nuts as a snack.
- Use in brittle, tarts, cookies and ice cream, as in Filipino sweets.
- Chop into salads or sprinkle over desserts.
- Buy roasted, shelled pili nuts from reputable sources.
- Store in a cool, dry place or the fridge.
Overconsumption could cause…
Pili nuts are healthy in sensible portions, but very rich.
- Weight gain from eating large handfuls, since nuts are very energy-dense. Pili nuts are among the highest in fat.
- Tree nut allergy, which can be severe, so anyone allergic to nuts must avoid them and check labels for cross-contact.
- Added sugar in sweets and candied pili nuts.
- Choking in young children, for whom whole nuts are not suitable.
Wikipedia — Canarium ovatum, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canarium_ovatum
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